Device for charging and discharging compressed-air containers



May 24, 1927.

ABEL DEVICE FOR CHARGING AND DISCHARGING COMPRESSED AIR CONTAINERS FiledAvril 25, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l wgarne ysv May 24, 1927. 1,630,156

\ A. ABEL DEVICE FOR CHARGING AND DISCHARGING COMPRESSED AIR CONTAINERSFiled April 25. 1926 2 Shets-Sheet 2 Inventor" 73 Mme/ 1 M fl'tor'mysPatented May 24, 1927.

UNITED sT T s PATENT OFFICE.

AUGUST ABEL, OF LEIPZIG, GERMANY, ASSIGNOB TO THE FIRM ATLAS -WEBKEPOHLEB & 00., OF LEIPZIG-STOTTEBITZ, GERMANY.

DEVICE FOR CHARGIIIG AND DISCHABGING COMPRESSED-TB CONTAIN BBS.

a nku n filed April as, 1926, Serial No.

Th: invention relates to a device .by means of which a compressed airconduit may be brought into communication with a number of containersarranged to pass the device, with the object of releasing the air previously admitted into the said containers and toadmit fresh air ifrequired. These effects are obtained by the particular arrangement ofthe controlling device according to the invention, which mainly consistsof two valves of which one is at the end of the supply conduit while theother is on the container and movable therewith. Each of the containersis provided with one of such valves and the mutual adjustment of thevalves is eflt'ected while the connection of the supply conduit with hthe container is being'established. A patent for this invention has beenapplied for in Germany,

' March 17, 1927.

The device according to the invention may be employed for variouspurposes, as for example on compressed air operated resses which areused in the manufacture o boots and shoes for cementing or otherwiselaying' the soles to the shoes. These-presse as is known, are providedwith. inflatable pads and as the novel device is able to act as inlet aswell as outlet valve, only one of such valves is required whereas twowere neces- 'sary in the hitherto known arrangements.

The device according to the invention offers particular advantages insuch presses in which the individual pressing places are 5 arranged uponrotary carriers of either table or drum shape, and 1n which theconnecting means of'the said ressing places, or pressing pads respectivey, are successively moved to a place opposite the supply conduit.

A further advantage of" the device according to the invention rests inthe elimination of any packing means or the like, great sim licity ofconstruction nerally as.

will be a parent from the followmgdescription of tlie accompanyingdrawing in which the invention is illustrated by way of example.

Fig.1 shows the co-operative valves'in longitudinal section in theirposition of rest.

Fig. 2 is a similar section showing the valve of the pressing pad inemptying position.

Fig. 3 illustrates by a similar section the filling or refillingposition of the valves.

a flexible tube which is not shown in the and in the 104.240, and inGermany latch 17, 1925.

Fig. 4 is a cross section on line 4-4 of Flg. 1. j i

Fig. 5 illustrates the application of the dev ce to a rotary table presson which, for the sake of clearness, only one pressing pad is shown inposition.

Referring briefly. table 1 is provided along its circumference with anumber of shoe presses each comprisin an air cushion or pneumatic pad 14as shown on the right hand side of the figure. Each 'of these padscommunicates by means of a tube 13 with a valve 2 below the table topwhich serves as inlet and outlet for the compressed air. Within thecasin of this valve (Figs. 1 to 3) is a cylindrica body 16 adapted tomove in vertical direction, "said cylindrical body extending at itslower end into a conical valve surface 3 and having grooves 17 spacedaround its cylindrical circumference for the passage of the compressedair. The said valve body is normally held upon its seat by the premureof the air within the pad but, if required, a spring may be provided inaddition.

At one place of the table below the top thereof a filling or supplyvalve 5 is arranged which is supported by an arm 12 of the machine frameand adapted to move in vertical direction. Within the casing of thisvalve a" cone 8 is provided which normally is pressed upward against itsseat by the action of a spring 10. Compressed air is admitted into thevalve at 7 by means of drawing. The valve 5 is attached to the upper endof a rod 11 guided within a bore of the arm :12 and whose lower end isconnected to one arm of a foot lever 15, the actuation of which causesthe valve 5 to be raised and lowered as required.

to Fig. 5, the rotary The mode of operation of the device is as follows:When t e machine is at rest the foot lever 15 takes the position shownat H in Fig. .5, in which position the valves 2 and 5 are a slightdistance apart from each other, it being understood that the table tophas previousl been valves 2 of t e pressing pads 14 is in opposition tothe valve 5. Depressing the foot lever into the osition marked 6-6 inFig. 5 the valve is fted just sufliciently for its cone 8 to pressagainst the cone 3 of the turned so that one of the valve 2 and to thusopen it. Spring 10 must,

of course, be strong enough to overcome the weight of the valve body 3and the air pressure within the pad. Through the now open valve 2 (Fig.2) the air is able to escape from the pad 14 via the tube 13, passage 4and the grooves 17 as indicated by the arrows in the said figure. It nowthe pad is to be refilled, or another pad filled, the foot lever must bedepressed into its lowest position 0c, which will cause the valve to beraised into its highest position (Fig. 3). In this position cone 3 ofthe valve 2 remains open. its lift being limited by a shoulder withinthe valve casing, or by the contracting upper part thereof serving assuch shoulder. It will be evident, thus, that the spring 10.0f valve 5becomes contracted on the further upward movement of valve. 5, so thatthe valve cone 8 of the latter will be pressed inwardly whereupon thepassage for the compressed air from the conduit 7 to the pressing pad 14is free, so that the latter may be inflated by the air moving in thedirection of the arrows in Fig. 3. To prevent the escape of air the twocontacting valves 2 and 5 are tightened up against one another by arubber washer 9 or the like positioned in a circular cavity at the topof valve 5.

In order to be able to fix the filling valve in the deflating position(corresponding to the treadle position 6-?) in Fig. 5), aresilient catchis provided consisting of a spring pin 18 adapted to engage wlth a notch19 of the rod 11 and to hold the rod and therewith the valve 5 in thecorresponding position.

Although the invention has hereinbefore been described as applied to acementing press for use in the manufacture of boots and shoes, it isevident that I do not WlSll my invention limited to'such presses butthat it may be used in connection with other devices and for otherpurposes, whenever the charging and discharging of compressed a1rcontainers by one single controlllng device is of advantage.

What I clalm is:

1. In a device for charging and discharging a number of compressed aircontainers adapted to pass by and be arrested in working position, avalve on each of the containers, each valve including an enclosingcasing and a cone protruding therethrough, a. supply valve alsoincluding anenclosing casing and a cone protruding 'therethrough inalinement with the valve on the container when the two valves arebrought into oper-, ative relation, and means formoving the supply valveto thereby initially actuate a va ve associated with one of thecontainers" and upon continued movement thereafter to actuate said suply valve for refilling the container there om. 4

2. In a charging and discharging device for a group of movablecompressed air con- ;tainers, a combined inlet and outlet valve on each.of the containers, a supply valve separate therefrom and adapted to bemoved in relation thereto, and means to first partly and then fullypress the supply valve against the said inlet and outlet valve so as tofirst exhaust and then refill the container.

3. A charging and discharging device for compressed air containerscomprising two valves movable in relation to each other, one valve beingon the container and the other serving as a supply valve, valve cones ineach of the valves protruding outwardly therefrom in opposition to eachother, manually operated means to move the supply valve against thevalve on the container and to depress the cone of the said containervalve so as to release the air from the container, and to then depressthe valve cone of the supply valve to open same and refill thecontainer.

1 4. In combination, a plurality of compressed air containers mounted ona movable support and each provided with a combined inlet and exhaustvalve adapted to be brought successively into position for contact witha supply valve adapted to actuate the first named valves for exhaustingand refilling the containers, a'supply valve held normally in a fixedposition but movable toward and from the inlet and exhaust valve whenthe latter valve is brought into eo-operative relation thereto; each ofsaid valves including an enclosing casing and a cone which protrudesthrough a valve-seating aperture therein and having associated therewithmeans for applying sufiicient pressure to hold the valve normallyclosed; the pressure-applying means acting on the supply valve havinggreater power than the pressure-applying means acting on the inlet andexhaust valve; means for moving the supply valve into contact with theinlet and exhaust valve when brought into eooperative relation theretoand thereby opening the latter valve so as to permit the escape of. airfrom the container, and means for arresting movement of the inlet andexhaust valve when opened, and for resisting continued movement of thesupply valve so as to cause the latter to open for co-operation with theinlet and exhaust valve in filling or refilling the container.

5. In a machine for charging and discharging successively a group ofcompressed alr containers, a valve assoclated with each containeradapted to operate alternately as an inlet valve forfilling thecontainer and as anoutlet valve through which the container may beemptied, a supply valve operable only in "co-operation with one of thefirst named valves for refilling the container, and means for actuatingsaid supply valve so as to first open a valve connected with a containerto empty the latter and then open the Valve into contact with andthereby o alinement with a subjacent supply" valve for refilling thecontainers, a vertically movable supply valve held normally in a fixedposition for cooperat on with an alined inlet and outlet valve, each ofsaid valves including an enclosing casing and a cone which protrudesthrough a valve-seating aperture therein .and having associatedtherewith means for applying suflicient pressure to hold the valvenormally closed; the prose sure-applying means acting on the supplyvalve having greater power than the pressure-applying means-acting onthe inlet and outlet valve, means for moving the supply an inlet andoutlet valve when broug t into co-operative relationthereto, and meansfor limiting the opening movement of the inletand outlet valve whilepermitting continued movement of the supply valve and thereby openingthe latter valve for co-operation with the inlet and outlet valve infilling or refilling the container. i

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

AUGUST ABEL,

enmg

